Read the full stored bill text
S3536
SENATE, No. 3536
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
���� Increases accidental death benefit for certain
members of PERS.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning the accidental death benefit for certain
members of the Public Employees� Retirement System and supplementing P.L.1954,
c.84 (C.43:15A-1 et seq.).
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.� a.� Upon the death of a
member in active service as a result of:
���� (1)� an accident met in the
actual performance of duty at some definite time and place, or
���� (2)� service in the reserve
component of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard in a
federal active duty status, and such death was not the result of the member�s
willful negligence, an accidental death benefit shall be payable if a report of
the accident is filed in the office of the retirement system within 60 days
next following the accident, but the board of trustees may waive such time
limit, for a reasonable period, if in the judgment of the board the
circumstances warrant such action.� No such application shall be valid or acted
upon unless it is filed in the office of the retirement system within five
years of the date of such death.
���� The provisions of this section
shall apply only to a member who is a firefighter, emergency medical
technician, paramedic, hazardous materials emergency first responder, or fire
instructor.
���� b. Upon the receipt of proper
proofs of the death of a member on account of which an accidental death benefit
is payable, there shall be paid to the member�s widow or widower a pension of
70 percent of the compensation, upon which contributions by the member to the
annuity savings fund were based in the last year of creditable service, or a
pension of $50,000, whichever is greater, for the use of herself or himself and
the children of the deceased member.� The benefits to the widow or widower
shall not be terminated upon remarriage.� If there is no surviving widow or
widower or in the case the widow or widower dies, 70 percent of such
compensation will be payable to the member�s surviving child or children in
equal shares.
���� If there is no surviving
widow, widower, or child, 25 percent of the compensation upon which
contributions by the member to the annuity savings fund were based in the last
year of creditable service, will be payable to one surviving dependent parent
or 40 percent of such compensation will be payable to two surviving parents in
equal shares.
���� In the event of accidental
death occurring in the first year of creditable service, the benefits, payable
pursuant to this subsection, shall be computed at the annual rate of
compensation.
���� c.� If there is no surviving
widow, widower, child, or dependent parent, there shall be paid to any other
beneficiary of the deceased member, the member�s accumulated deductions at the
time of death.
���� d.� In no case shall the death
benefit provided in subsection b. be less than that provided under subsection
c. of this section.
���� e. In addition to the
foregoing benefits payable under subsections b. or c., there shall also be paid
in one sum to such beneficiary, if living, as the member shall have nominated
by written designation duly executed and filed with the retirement system,
otherwise to the executor or administrator of the member�s estate, an amount
equal to three and one half times the compensation upon which contributions by
the member to the annuity savings fund were based in the last year of
creditable service.
���� f.� In addition to the
foregoing benefits, the State shall pay to the employer-sponsored health
insurance program all health insurance premiums for the coverage of the
member�s surviving widow or widower and dependent children.
���� g.� An accidental death
benefit payable under section 49 of P.L.1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-49) granted on or
after January 1, 2021, shall be converted to the benefit payable under this
section and a payment representing the difference in payments between the benefit
granted under section 49 of P.L.1954, c.84 and this section shall be paid in a
lump sum to the beneficiary from the date the original benefit was granted.
���� 2.� This act shall take effect
immediately and shall be retroactive to January 1, 2021.
STATEMENT
���� This bill enhances the
accidental death benefit in the Public Employees� Retirement System (PERS) for
the spouse and children of a member who served as a firefighter, emergency
medical technician, paramedic, hazardous materials emergency first responder,
or fire instructor.�
���� Under current law, the PERS
accidental death benefit provides to the surviving spouse a pension of 50
percent of the compensation upon which contributions by the member to PERS were
based in the last year of creditable service.� This bill increases the pension
to 70 percent.� The bill also provides an increase in benefits for the children
of a member, from 25 percent for one child to 70 percent if there is no
surviving spouse.
���� The bill further provides an
alternative benefit of $50,000 for the surviving spouse, if it is larger than
the 70 percent, annually.� The bill also provides that the State will pay the
employer-sponsored health insurance program for the member�s surviving spouse.�
The bill will make the benefits identical to those in the Police and Firemen�s
Retirement System (PFRS).
���� The bill is retroactive to
January 1, 2021 and provides that a benefit granted under N.J.S.A.43:15A-49 on
or after January 1, 2021 will be converted to the benefit under this bill and a
lump sum payment of the difference in the two benefits will be paid dating back
to when the original benefit was granted.